CSUN Turned Back by Hawai’i, 63-54 in Road Defeat

Saturday, February 14

Manoa, HI

8:00 p.m.

California State University at Northridge

8-15,4-10Big West

Hawai'i

14-10,8-6Big West

CSUN

Hawaii

Photo by: Chuck Marvel

CSUN Turned Back by Hawai’i, 63-54 in Road Defeat

2/14/2026 10:34:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

MANOA, Hawai'i --- The CSUN women's basketball team (8-15, 4-10 Big West) fell to the Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine (14-10, 8-6 Big West), 63-54 at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center Saturday night. Jite Gbemuotor had a career-high 19 points to go along with 10 rebounds, her sixth career double-double. Rita Nazario also added 10 points.

HOW IT HAPPENED
CSUN jumped on the Rainbow Wahine early on this one. The Matadors went on a 13-6 run, with Gbemuotor scoring the game's first five points off a layup and a three-pointer. Saray White scored the same way as Gbemuotor and Morgan Edwards hit a trey from the corner as the Matadors had a seven point lead with 6:36 remaining in the first.

After a small 5-0 run by the Rainbow Wahine, CSUN drained the next two baskets but ultimately the Matadors had a four point lead at 19-15 heading into the second quarter.

In the second quarter, CSUN began things on a 5-0 run, with a jump shot made by Erika Aspajo and a behind the arc shot from Mariona Cos-Morales to give the Matadors their biggest lead of the game at 24-15 with 9:10 remaining in the half. UH responded with a mini 6-2 run of its own before Gbemuotor answered with a driving layup to put CSUN back on top by seven at 28-21 with 4:17 remaining until intermission.

Both teams traded shots until Nazario hit a jump shot from distance to put CSUN back up by nine at 37-28 with 16 seconds left. UH though made a two-point basket to trim the lead to seven at 37-30 heading into the break.

SECOND HALF
CSUN's offense was slow out of the break as the Rainbow Wahine made adjustments. Both teams played solid defense in the third quarter, but UH jumped out to an 8-2 run capped off by free throws from Saniyah Neverson to cut the lead to one at 39-38 with 2:45 left to play in the period.

CSUN extended the lead back to four on three made free throws from Nazario. UH ended the quarter on a 7-0 run to take its first lead of the game as the buzzer sounded on the third with CSUN down 45-42.

The Rainbow Wahine began the fourth on a 9-2 run with multiple buckets from Keiara Curtis as UH now led 54-44 with 7:14 remaining in the game. CSUN kept it within 10 but couldn't find that run to break through. Nazario, White, and Gbemuotor contributed buckets as time ticked in the fourth, but it seemed that UH kept answering ~~with~~ every made shot from the Matadors. CSUN got the lead down to six at 60-54 with a driving layup from Cos-Morales, but UH scored the last three points of the game as the Rainbow Wahine held on for the win.

NOTES OF THE GAME

Gbemuotor, Nazario and White accounted for 38 of CSUN's 54 points.
This was Gbemuotor's 10th career double-figure point game.
Gbemuotor's 19 points was a game high for both teams.
This was Nazario's 10th career double-figure point game.
UH sank 18 free throws to CSUN's five.
CSUN out-rebounded Hawai'i, 35-34.

UP NEXT
CSUN plays two home games next week, beginning on Thursday, February 19 with the Matadors taking on UC Santa Barbara before concluding on Saturday, February 21 against Long Beach State. Thursday tips off at 6 p.m. while Saturday tips off at 2 p.m. Both games will be at Premier America Credit Union Arena and Jill Painter-Lopez will have the call.